My Little Pony: A Journey of Hearts
by Dante K. Freeman
Summary: The story of Hearts Major, a unique Earth-pony that wanted nothing more than to be a Unicorn. When his wish was granted, it was nothing like he had expected. (So there's no confusion: this story takes place after Princess Twilight's corrination.)
1. The Feeding Shadow

**Hello all of you Fiction readers. Welcome to the first chapter of my new fiction story** _ **"A journey of Hearts."**_ **I've noticed that in the show, whenever a major villain is introduced (at least until recently) they would introduce it in story book style, so I thought I would try that too. I hope you enjoy.**

 _ **Disclaimer:**_

 _ **My little Pony is property of Hasbro**_

 **Now to the story…**

 **(To clear any confusion for later, this story takes place only a few months after Twilights coronation; don't worry, there is a reason.)**

* * *

 **Prologue : _The Feeding Shadow_**

Years had gone by since the threat of eternal night was banished from the land. Princess Celestia, the ruler of the sun and now sole leader of Equestria, had been forced to now sit alone in a castle built for two. It took little time for the events of the past to start taking their toll on her mind, filling her with sadness, regret, and guilt, until she just couldn't take anymore. Those feelings lead her to make a decision that would change her kingdom as it was known then, the decision to leave it all behind; leave the castle, the elements, and all connections she had to her lost sister, and find a new land where she could rule over her little ponies, alone.

Followed by her most loyal of subjects, the princess traveled into the unknown reaches of her land, searching for the best location for their new home. Eventually she had found what they had been looking for. A large field, sitting by the base of a mountain, stood before the group. The ponies immediately saw the potential in the land, as did the princess, so they started to build in the empty territory, creating a new capital city where Celestia could rule over Equestria and all her subjects; the capital that would soon be known as Canterlot.

Within only months, the capital had been created, and the castle was nearing its own completion. As the princess looked down on the land she came to a grave realization. No matter how well the capital was made, unlike her, time would take its toll eventually. It was then that she decided on a new traditional event. Every century of her rule, she would have the capital renovated, and if needed, remodeled, in order to prevent it from becoming anything other than Equestria's shining beacon, as it was created to be.

* * *

On the dawning of the seventh century of her rule, it was time for Celestia to choose the group of builders for the new renovations. She had decided on a small family of builders, highly recommended by her advisers, and revered by many other ponies. She took these praises to heart and gave them all her trust in the project as well as giving them access to all parts of Canterlot, including her own castle, which would prove to be a mistake. One of the youngest workers took that as an opportunity to sneak into the castle's library and steal one of the spell books from the forbidden archives before escaping the castle, avoiding all pursuers, and vanishing out of Canterlot, free to use the book as he saw fit.

* * *

Years later, the greedy pony finally did return wielding a powerful and dark energy given to him by a symbol found in the stolen tome, and now going by the name Minucorn. As he traveled through Equestria, the shadows of the dark energy would infect all ponies near by and force their darkest of feeling to the surface, only so they could be fed on by Minucorn's mark. Once the Princess finally confronted the evil sorcerer, she pleaded for him to end his rampage, but he would not listen, even attempting to feed on her as he did the rest, but she would not falter. Celestia knew there was no reasoning with the pony, and she did what she had to end the horrible event. Using every bit of strength she had, the sun princess cast a powerful sealing spell on the evil Minucorn, trapping him within his own darkness and sealing him far beneath Equestria's surface, never to be seen again, or so she thought.

* * *

It is said that the seal lasts only one century. So every hundred years, as the Canterlot renovations take place, Celestia returns to the spot the seal was cast, and carefully recasts it to hold for another hundred. Below the surface, Minucorn can only wait for the day the seal truly breaks, and he is free to feed once again.

* * *

 **And there it is, the beginning of a new journey, or should I saw the beginning before the beginning, either way the story has begun** _ **(all over again).**_ **I'll be posting these as often as I can, but life does get in the way so I'm sorry to say that might not be too often, but if you can bare with me, I promise to get to the end, no matter how long that my take. So I hope to see you all next chapter.**

 **Until then…**


	2. The Broken Seal

**Hello fiction readers and writers alike, and welcome to the first chapter of my new story,** _ **A Journey of Hearts,**_ **not including the prologue of course. Any readers who follow my stories will notice that this is not my normal writing style. I'm just throwing around some different styles for a bit to see what fits, this one was inspired by the writing style of Fallout: Equestria. I hope I did it justice.**

 **Disclaimer:**

 **My Little pony is property of Hasbro**

 **I own only the story and some characters, figure out which ones.**

 **And now, to the story… (And to my watchers; sorry, no four-wall breakers this time)**

* * *

 _Preview: What is the real price of freedom?_

* * *

 **Chapter 1 : _The Broken Seal_**

 _The first, and the last thing I remember, is light, and then… darkness_. That was all I could think of, for as long as I had been in that prison. How long was I there? A week? A month? Maybe it was even a year, but I could never have guessed the reality. How did it come to this? How could this happen to me?

That day started like any other one of mine; the same dream going through my head. I'm just walking in an empty field, no real location in mind, I'm just walking. When before me appears someone very precious to me, my friend, my mentor, the princess Celestia. She is just standing there, in that beautiful white coat. Her multi-colored mane flowing in the non-existent wind that blows through it, I never did understand how that worked. As always, she stood just out of my reach, and no matter how much I walked, I could not reach her, but I keep trying. I just keep going until, as always, I feel something creeping behind me. Looking back, I can see only darkness, a cloud of darkness, nothing visible within but a single, glowing, red eye guiding it.

I couldn't do anything but run. I ran as fast as possible, trying to reach Celestia, screaming for her to save me, but it was a waist, it was always just a waist. She just looked at me for a moment, until she decides to up and fly away. Why would she want to stay? To help a pony that betrayed her trust? To be consumed by the darkness too? Of course not, that would be stupid.

And of course, not more than ten feet after I start running, I hit a wall. I never even saw it, I never see the wall, but it's there and it has trapped me with the darkness. I won't bang on it, no point, it never breaks, and I won't call for help, it never comes. All I could do was wait. So I turn my head, I at least wanted to look at the creature, I wont give it the pleasure of saying I couldn't even do that, and I waited for it. The eye, it was getting so close, I knew what came next, the darkness, the… drowning, the pain… oh, the pain… But I'll accept it, I deserved it, and no less, but this time it was different.

I had been ready to fall again, as I always did, but this time, the pain never came. The eye… had stopped, and the darkness, it was fading. What's going on? _Was I… was I being saved?_ That hopeful thought filled my head, and as it grew, I didn't even notice that the wall, the invisible wall I had been leaning against now, had faded, forcing me to tumble to the ground. Once I picked myself up, I could see that the eye was still stationary. Although the darkness had already faded, it just floated their, doing nothing. Curiosity got the better of me, and I just had to get a closer look. Who wouldn't want to get close to the thing that virtually kills them on a daily bases, right? But I had never gotten a chance to see it this close before, so close now that I saw it was no normal eye. Its pupil, instead of being circular, it looked like an edged spiral, and on top of that was, what looked like… a horn. As odd as that sounds, that's what it looked like.

What was this thing; the thing that had chased me, and killed me, so many times? The closer I got, the more I felt like I might know. It felt… familiar, but before I could complete my thought, something else happened. From above, a harsh light started pouring over me, and I got scared. At that moment all I could think was _oh no, not again, is this going to be more of the pain; Just a new darkness?_ But it wasn't. The light actually felt… good. It's hard to explain in words, but it's like the light was healing me. Like all the pain, and terror that had been building up inside me for so long, was gone, in an instant, and it felt… good, for the lack of a better word, and it didn't stop there. The light just kept getting stronger, and brighter, until all I could see was the white of its glow. Everything faded from sight, all but the strange eye that had started moving closer again. I wanted to scream, but before I could, it reached me, and all I could see then, was black.

* * *

My head was pounding, and I felt so weak, I didn't even want to so much as open my eyes again. As I lay down, at least I think I was lying, in my state, it's sometimes hard to tell, I could feel something on my forehead. Some-ponies hoof was rubbing something on me. It was cold, but it also felt, again, good. _Wait, it feels the same, the same as that light did._ That's what I thought. Now I was really curious. I didn't care that I was tired; I had to know what was going on, so I forced myself to open my eyes. Although it was tough at first, and my vision was kind of blurry, I managed to open them, but I still couldn't see. Eventually my vision did come back, but adjusting to the new light was pretty harsh at first.

"I think he's waking up," I could hear some-pony in-front of me say. "Princess, are you sure this is a good idea." Princess? The princess is here?

"Be calm Twilight Sparkle." I heard the… princess say? "We trust thou with this task. Thou hast proven quiet resilient in the past. We trust our faith is not misplaced."

Wait, what was going on? Was the pony in front of me supposed to be the princess? I know I haven't heard her voice in a while, but I'm sure she doesn't sound like that. And who's Twilight Sparkle? Again, what is going on?

My answers came quickly enough once my vision came back. I could finally see again, and my first sight was a long, dark-blue hoof rubbing my forehead with some kind of white… stuff. It had moved away by the time my vision came back completely and I was able to see the pony it belonged to. She did look like a princess alright, but not the one that I knew. This princess was an Alicorn like mine, having both Pegasus wings and a Unicorn's horn, but she had a dark blue coat, and a blue mane with small white sparkles dotted within it, making it look almost like the night sky (of course it could have just been dandruff, but I felt it was best not to ask). This princess was wearing a set of dark accessories, countering the gold ones my princess was known to wear, including two sets of glass horseshoes, one being off so as to rub that stuff on me, a black necklace with the image of a crescent moon on it, and a small pointed crown behind her Unicorn horn. Her Cutie-mark was what really got my attention. It was the image of a crescent moon, similar to the one on her necklace, but it was surrounded by a splotch of black along her flank. I think I've seen that mark before, but where?

* * *

"Hearts?" the dark princess started to speak, "Are you okay?"

Hearts? Oh yeah, that was my name wasn't it? Hearts Major. I guess I had forgotten. I haven't actually had to use my name for such a long time. But how long was that again?

"Wha…" I stuttered to say, I was still feeling pretty weak. "What's going on?"

"Can you stand?"

"Um, yeah, I think I…" I thought wrong. The very moment I tried to stand on my own four hooves, I ended up right back in the dirt.

"Oh my," the princess said as she moved to my side, placing a hoof down on my flank. "Take it slow. You may find that controlling your body might be difficult for a time."

She wasn't wrong about that. For the longest time, it didn't even feel like I had a body. I know that makes no sense, but while I was in that dream, if this is what a body feels like, to be so heavy and stationary, then that's not how I felt. In the dream, I never felt anything other than the darkness's influence. Other than that, I didn't feel, I just was.

I tried moving again, this time slower. I stopped a few times so I could get a good look at the body I was moving. It had been a while since I was out of the dream, and I wanted to see if the body I was always in really was mine. It seemed to be the case; same broad grey coated body; same long-flowing black mane, including that ridicules curved green patch coming off the center of my hair-line, never understood that; Same black and green vest over my upper-body, …why did that make me so upset? Well that proves it, I was still me, and always was.

* * *

It took a few tries, but I did manage to get to my hooves, as shaky as I was. The princess was holding me up, but I believe I was holding the majority of the weight.

"Who… are you?" I finally worked up the nerve to ask.

"My name is Princess Luna," she responded. "I am the ruler of the night here in Equestria."

" _The ruler of the night?_ But… what about… Celestia?"

"Oh, so you do still hold some memory, I was afraid your mind may have been damaged from the spell."

That's just what I thought. I really couldn't remember much outside of the dream, not even my name at first, but I did remember Celestia for some reason.

"I do remember, Celestia's the ruler of both the night and day, so what do you mean…" I couldn't say much more, my head had started hurting again.

"Well, you are correct. In your time, Myn sister very well did hold presidents over both the sun and moon, making her the sol ruler of this land, but you must understand that much has changed since then."

"Changed, sister, wait… I don't understand. Exactly how long ago was _my time_?"

She hesitated to answer. That definitely got me worried, and when she finally did answer, I completely regretted ever asking. "Hearts, we do not wish to worry you. Since you have been sealed, approximately three-hundred years have passed."

* * *

I froze. My brain was not working anymore. This couldn't be real. In the dream everyday felt the same, I had no sense of time, but I had assumed that at most one year had gone by, but three centuries! How could that be? With that thought in mind, I finally decided to look around, and things now were definitely different. Although I still did not know much about my homeland, one thing stood out. The ponies in the town, whichever town that was, they were mixed, for lack of a better word. Pegasi, Unicorns, even Earth-ponies, they all lived here. I didn't have to remember my home to know that was, strange, but not even, compared to this. Two Alicorn ponies, one claiming to be the co-ruler and sister of Celestia, and another…well, who was just there; it just didn't make sense. This was the first time I had gotten a good look at her; she definitely was an Alicorn, wings, horn, and all. The pony was a purple mare with a violet mane that had a hot pink streak in it; her cutie mark looked like a purple star with six sparkles surrounding it. She didn't where any royal jewels like Celestia or Luna, but… what else would you even call an Alicorn but princess?

"How… how is that possible?" I finally said. "Three hundred years? How? How did this happen!?" I almost fell over again, but I didn't care, I had to know what was going on.

Princess Luna, I figured I might as well call her, walked away from me to stand next that Twilight Alicorn. "…I do not know the whole story," she began, dropping her royal domineer in the process "All I know, is that it has something to do with that mark on your head."

"Mark?" I had guessed what she meant as soon as she said it, which I refused to admit, but I didn't even get that option. Before I could finish my question, Luna's horn glowed a beautiful blue aura, forming a large mirroring lens in-front of me with the same aura surrounding its edges. It was the first time in awhile I had gotten to get a clear view of myself. Everything had been as I said before; nothing out of the ordinary; I had green eyes, those were nice; and apparently I also had that cursed mark from my dreams etched into my fore-head! The mark that had tortured me for what I know knew was three hundred years, was plastered just over my eyes. The mark was white here, contrasting its red color in the dream, but that wasn't fooling me. I even noticed that the white mark was apparently also my cutie-mark, how wonderful; apparently my destiny involved a mark I knew for a fact tortured and killed its own bearer. What every young colt should strive for.

* * *

 _I was broken? I couldn't think?_ Those words don't come close to explaining this. I don't even know how long I was standing there, long after Luna faded the mirror away. It could have been hours for all I knew, after all, apparently I was pretty pour at telling times. Eventually I did start moving, of course that was just to hyperventilate, and I swear I couldn't breathe at all. So much so that I was afraid I might pass out before ever getting another word out. It was Luna's hoof that finally snapped me back to reality.

"Hearts, be calm," she said; yeah, easier said than done.

"Easier said… than done…" I guess I did say that out loud. "What… what's this doing on my head." I fell to my knees, a hoof covering the mark on my head. "How did…? Who…?" It was beyond me to even finish a whole sentence; I was in shock.

"Hearts, I assure, no pony forced that mark on you." Luna kneeled down to my level, or at least as close as that giant of a pony could. "This mark was placed by your own hooves."

"What!" I screamed. "Why in Tartarus would I ever do that!?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that is also something I do not know," Luna walked back to were she first stood and placed her discarded horseshoe back on, "but I do know this," she lifted a jar filled with the white liquid that coated her hoof, "as long as this potion remains in affect, it should keep you from losing control again."

"Again? But… I don't even know what this thing does, how is a potion suppose to keep it in control?"

"If you don't know what it does, then why do you seem so scared of it?" the Twilight Alicorn finally spoke.

"I don't need to know what it is to know its dangers! You're not the one who was sealed with it for three hundred years! What would you know!?" Twilight stepped back from me, scared now. Smooth move idiot, you just meet the ponies that saved you from the dream, and your first impression involves stumbling, falling, and yelling at them, brilliant. "No, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that." I tried stepping closer to Twilight to apologize.

"It's alright Hearts," Luna jumped in. "We understand you must have gone through much in your seclusion."

"…more than I want to remember." I dropped my head, scared of the memories.

"I can imagine?" I got a bit angry at that. How could she possibly know what I was going through, but I kept it to myself this time. "I will make you this promise Hearts Major, as a ruler of Equestria; you will not relive that horror again."

* * *

I was grateful for those words, but they did dredge up a question I had forgotten to ask. "Thank you princess, really, but I have to ask, why was I let out now?"

"Hmm…" She gave me a smirk that I couldn't read. "Because, we believe that their may be a far greater solution to your dilemma than solitary seclusion." Her royal disposition returned.

"Okay, and, what is it?"

"Revisitation."

"What?" I got confused. Mostly because I wasn't sure what that word meant. "What's that mean?"

"She's saying…," Twilight finally spoke up, that took a load off my chest, I thought I had scared her silent, "…she wants you to try and reconnect with the ponies of this time; to connect with them without the fear of harm coming to you, or to them."

I was starting to get it, but I wasn't so sure it was a good idea. "So, you want me to try living here?"

"Or anywhere else," Twilight said under her breath, thinking I couldn't hear her.

"Yes," Luna _really_ answered, shooting a look to Twilight and then turning back to me. "This town is the best place for you to make a new start. As you can see," she drew my attention back to the surrounding area, "this is an area where all ponies are welcome, of all races. You will be welcomed here. And as for connecting with the new times, Twilight will be happy to help with that."

"She will?" I said, looking toward Twilight.

"I will?" She responded, looking toward Luna.

"She will," Luna throw another look to Twilight, but it was less annoyed looking than the last. "Twilight here is very good at making friends, as well as being an excellent helper of ponies of all kinds. I know from personal experience." Luna's gaze turned to the distance as if looking at something only she could see before turning back. "If any pony can assist with this, it is her."

I looked back to the purple pony, honestly a bit more hopeful. "Is that true? Can you really help me?"

Her gaze started turning this way and that, obviously thinking about how much of a good idea this really was, and I couldn't blame her, that's why her answer surprised me so much. "I… I guess I can."

* * *

She actually agreed. I was… more than a little surprised. I only know what this mark did to me alone, and I probably wouldn't have agreed, princess or not, and I suspect this pony knows far more about it than I did. It would explain why she started out so cautious. This girl was either really obedient to the princess, really… really very kind, or just very reckless. For everyone's sake, I hoped it wasn't the ladder.

"Very well, then I will leave you two to become better aquatinted." The princess spread out her wings and took to the skies. "I leave the rest in your capable hooves Twilight Sparkle, and Hearts Major," she looked to me, worry visibly in her eyes, "I must leave you with this warning." _Warning?_ That didn't sound good. "I do, very much, wish for you to become a valued member of Equestria again, but the ponies of Equestria and their safety will always come first in priority; Always."

She put as much emphasis on that last word as she could without yelling it. I was pretty sure I got what she was saying, or at least I thought. If I wasn't nervous before, I sure was now.

 _To be continued_

* * *

 _Next Chapter: The memories may return, they my not. The question is, are all memories worth having?_

* * *

 **And there it is; the first chapter is complete. Hearts has been set free, and he has no idea why he was even sealed in the first place. I won't give a time span for the next chapter, but I will, hopefully, get at least two more out before the months end, so look forward to that.**

 **In closing, I hope that you all have enjoyed reading this chapter. If you did, favorite and follow to keep updated on chapter releases. If you have any comments leave them below, and I hope to see you in the next chapter.**

 **Until then…**


	3. Revisitation

**Hello all you fiction readers and writers alike, and welcome to another chapter of** _ **A journey of Hearts.**_ **Since I'm a little lacking in the witty banter department, let's just get to it.**

* * *

 _ **Recap:**_

 _ **Last chapter, princess Luna and p**_ _ **rincess Twilight Sparkle freed the pony Hearts Major from his imprisonment, which to his surprise apparently lasted about three centuries. Once awake, Hearts found that he had very limited memories of his past, presumably from the seal affecting his mind. Sympathizing with the freed prisoner, Luna believed the best thing to do for Hearts was to set him free and allow him to connect with the new time period with Twilight as his guide, to her dismay. Still unsure of what was going on, Hearts agreed, as if he had a choice, secretly only hoping to regain his past memories, if they were even worth gaining.**_

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer:**_

 **My Little Pony is property of Hasbro**

 **Hearts and the story belong to me and me alone.**

 **And now, to the story…**

* * *

 _Preview: It's not easy making new friends, in a new time._

* * *

 **Chapter 2** \- _Revisitation_

 _What a strange place this is._ That was my first impression after Twilight Sparkle had brought me back to her house after our meeting with the princess. She must have believed the best way to reconnect with this time was to take it slowly, one stop at a time, and where better than her own place to start. Of course, I was hoping that not all of the houses would be like this one. Her place seemed to be some kind of Library, I could tell by all of the book covered shelves that lined the walls. The odd thing was that it was in a tree, and I don't mean like on the branches, I mean _inside_ of a hollowed out tree. The interior was nice and all, but the concept was ridicules. The whole place is a fire hazard for one, which is laughable seeing as she did have a wood burning fire place. With the unique structure and shape of the tree, any supports it had would have to be warped and misshapen in order to give accurate support, so they would need to be custom crafted. It must cost the girl a fortune to live in this kind of place, and that's not counting all the times she must have had to renovate and repair; half the walls looked like they had to be remade years after the building was completed. Just what does she do in this place? The artistic value is alright, but that doesn't change the… huh… you know, with all the critique I was giving the place, it's a shock that I still hadn't discovered anything about my past yet. I guess my mind was just too occupied on other things.

While I rested on top of a sofa on the library's lower floor, I decided to pass the time with one of the books I had helped myself to. I can't remember the title, but I do remember it was a spell book talking about ancient artifacts; it was actually kind of interesting. I lost myself in the book until I got shocked back to reality by Twilight barging though the front door after having returned from the errand I asked her to run for me minutes before.

"Alright, I got them," she said as she placed a bag at the base of the couch.

I gave her a quick "thank you" as I started working my hooves through the bag to pull out its contents; a pair of basic blue pants and a simple white head band... is what I was expecting to pull out. What I found was a pair of black pants that had a green streak running up the outer legs until they faded back into the black, and a dark green bandana coated in black gem stones arranged in a checkered pattern. They were really nice, but not what I had asked for.

"Um… thanks…," I said, "but I only asked for a simple pair of pants and a head band. You didn't have to get me so much."

" _I_ didn't," she answered back, "My friend did. She kind of has a tendency to go a bit over board when I ask for something simple."

"Well, they look great. Thanks Twilight, and your friend, please tell her I said thank you too."

"I will, but are you sure you need these things?"

"Positive."

And I really was positive I needed them. This mark, whatever it is, is not normal. The moment I got to the house, the first thing I tried to do was remove the thing, but nothing I tried worked. I was moments from peeling the skin right off my head, when Twilight stopped and assured me that I was not going to get rid of it that way. It was magically locked, or something, the point was I was stuck with it, at least for now. That's when I asked her to get me the pants and head band. If I couldn't get rid of this, I was at least going to hide it, and seeing as my Cutie mark was the same symbol, that had to be hidden too.

"Alright, If you're sure." I was completely sure. "Spike I have…, Spike, Spike! Hearts, where's Spike?"

Spike? Oh right, Spike, I forgot about him. That's the little dragon Twilight Sparkle lives with. Supposedly, he's supposed to be her assistant. He pretty much does whatever she tells him to do. I hadn't even noticed the little guy when walking in, and if Twilight hadn't called him, I probably would have missed him completely.

"Spike? Oh he's in the kitchen. He offered to get me something to eat. I could really use it; I haven't had a bite for three-hundred years after all."

"Ha, yeah that sounds like Spike. He's always so…" Twilight stopped talking when she looked over to the couch and noticed the book that I had been reading moments ago. "Um… what's that?"

I looked back over to the book she had spotted. "Oh, it's just a book. I kind of got bored just waiting here alone, so I decided to take a look at your selection. I hope that was okay."

"Yeah… sure. So you chose a spell book huh?" She looked to be getting worried. I didn't really know why, but I just shrugged it off.

"Yeah, it just kind of stood out. It's actually pretty cool."

"Really, so you like magic?"

"I guess. It is pretty amazing what Unicorns are capable of."

"You know, not all Unicorns are capable of the same level of magic."

"I know, but they all have some affinity for it, right? They're pretty lucky to be born the way they are."

I must have sounded like I was being pretty envious then. It was honestly just an observation, that's all, but I guess Twilight took it in another light. I didn't know it then, but I had just opened the flood gates. Things were destined to get for more complicated from that point on.

Between my unicorn pandering and Twilight's worry, I had forgotten all about how hungry I was until my stomach took the liberty of reminding me.

"Oops," I said with a blush.

"Hungry huh? You know, Ponyville has plenty of great places to eat. Why don't we try one?"

"Um… that's okay, Spike should be back in a… hey!" Without warning Twilight had started pulling me out of the house.

"Come on, what better way to reconnect with the land, than to sample some of the local cuisine."

"But Twilight, what about…?"

"No worries we can be back in no time, now come on."

"Uh, okay, alright, I'm coming."

Twilight was more forceful than I pegged her to be; she was definitely not that scared princess that I met just a few minutes ago. There was no getting out of this, and I knew it, but as long as I was getting something to eat. Spike might have been a bit disappointed, but I was sure he wouldn't mind, or at least I hope he didn't.

* * *

Twilight had dragged me through town for… I don't know how long. I felt lucky she had remembered to bring along my new clothes and gave me some time to put them on, before she started dragging me again. Eventually we arrived to one of the local cafés in town. I don't believe it had a proper name, and if it did, I didn't bother remembering it. Twilight had told me to wait at one of the tables while she handled something inside. Perhaps she was making some arrangements, or ordering something, I didn't really know how this worked. Then again, about that time I didn't know how anything worked.

Amnesia was not fun. I had tried to remember some things from the past, but every time I did, all I could get was the princess's face, not Luna, the other one, princess Celestia. She must have meant something to me in the past, but I couldn't even remember that. Even my name had escaped me after I had awoken, but the princess was always there, even in my dreams; horrible dreams, where I was at the mercy of this mark, and where she would leave me to its torment. Does that mean she hated me, or was it something else?

I hadn't been sitting at that table for too long, and I hadn't waited for Twilight. Moment's after she left, sum kind of music started playing in town, beautiful music. It rang through the town with such a soothing melody, and calm, relaxing tone. It was so quiet, I could tell it was coming from very far away, but even so, I found myself entranced. My curiosity got the better of me again and I had to find out what was making it. _Twilight's not back yet, and it should only take a little time,_ that's what I told myself to justify this, and it worked. Seconds after, I found myself wondering through town trying to find the music's source.

* * *

It took me a few minutes, or maybe hours, of searching, but I did eventually find the source of the music. A single mint colored pony with a white and mint green mane and tail, had been sitting up right in one of the benches around town. In one of her hooves was a small Lyre harp to match the one she had as her cutie mark. As she rested the instrument on her lap, she worked her other hoof across the strings with great precision and talent to make the beautiful melody that verberated through town. I was still entranced by the melody, and decided to take a seat on the ground before the pony to listen.

When the music finally stopped, I opened back up my eyes, which I had not even realized I had closed, to see the mint mare sitting on the bench and looking over at me. In appreciation for the music I had started clopping my hooves together in applause. She put her lyre to the side and took a seated bow in response. I stood back up only so I could take a seat on the bench next to the lyre player.

"That was amazing playing," I said kindly to mare.

"Well thanks, it's always nice to have a fan," she said jokingly.

As I looked around, I noticed that I was the only pony who had stopped to hear the music, and I was all the way across town. "It's a shame that no-pony else stopped to have a listen too."

"'Nah', I come here to play almost everyday. Sometimes some ponies stop to listen, but usually most of them just go about there way. I guess they have better thing to do."

"That's just horrible. You have talent, and talent should always be appreciated. That's what I believe."

"Well it's a good thing to believe. By the way, the names Lyra," she extended her hoof to me, "Lyra Heartstrings."

"Appropriate," I reached my hoof to hers, "I'm Hearts, Hearts Major."

"Also Appropriate," she joked again as we both rested our hooves back down. "So are you knew to Ponyville? It's a pretty small town, and I've never seen you around before."

"Well… yeah, I just got into town recently." I didn't technically lie, I did just get into town, she didn't really ask from where.

"Oh really, so where are you from?" Okay, now I had to lie.

"Umm… I'm just taking a small trip from… uh…Trottingham. Yeah that works." I had to say that last part under my breath. Honestly I didn't even know what I was saying. _Trottingham,_ is that the best I could come up with? I mean this town is called Ponyville, so I thought I would just take a shot in the dark. Maybe she would think it was some distant land and stop asking about it.

"Trottingham? Cool, I actually know some ponies from there myself."

"(Seriously, that's a real place)" That's what ran through my head about that time. That and, "(I must have the reaper-ponies luck.)"

"Tell me, do you know a little pony called Pipsqueak?"

"Umm… no, I don't think so."

"Oh, I guess that's to be expected. He can be kind of hard to spot."

We both had a quick laugh at the obvious joke. At that time, I was happy I had decided to wonder off on my own. I liked talking to this Lyra girl. Talking to such a nice pony really got me thinking that maybe I _could_ live in this time. Even if I never got my memories back, if all the ponies are this nice and this friendly in Equestria, then I think it'd be fine to call this place a home.

* * *

"…Actually," Lyra started speaking again, "I'm kind of a new comer to Ponyville myself."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. I just moved here about a year ago from Canterlot."

"Canterlot, huh? So what made you want to move?"

"I actually wasn't intending to move at the time. Originally I only showed up to see the summer sun celebration. I got the idea after one of my friends decided to do the same."

"Oh, so you came with him?"

" _Her,_ and no. We came separately. She apparently had something important to do here, and I knew better than to ask her for anything, so I just took a train."

"…This pony doesn't sound like much of a… friend."

"Oh, she's a nice pony, don't get me wrong, she was just not very good at the whole friend thing before. You know, I still think she hasn't realized that I moved here."

Wow, just wow. The more I hared about this pony, the more I started to dislike her, and I didn't even know who she was. If even half of what Lyra said was true, I knew that she wasn't a pony I wanted to get to know, so I never even asked her name. I still wonder if I should have.

"Really, so why did you decide to move here if it wasn't for that friend of yours? (If you can even call her that)"

"It was actually because of my current best friend, Bon-Bon. We really bonded that Summer Sun Celebration. We ended up spending the whole night together, right up until the moment I had to head home. After a while, I found myself coming back to Ponyville more and more, until we just decided to move in together."

"Wow, she sounds like a great pony."

"Yeah, she's the best friend I've ever had; can't imagine life without her now."

That description didn't really make it sound like those two were just friends. I was an amnesiac, not an idiot. I was dieing to look deeper into it, but I really didn't want to upset the first real friend I've made in this town by prying into something that was none of my business. Apparently my eyes hadn't been listening as close as my lips, because the next words out of Lyra's mouth were…

"Hey now, don't read too much into that Major," she said with a giggle in her voice.

A jammed both of my fore-hooves into my mouth, as if I said something without realizing it. "I…I wasn't thinking anything. I mean I guess I was thinking something, but it…it's not like…"

"Relax." She put one of her fore-hooves over my chest to calm me down. "I was just messing with you." My face turned beat red. "I can't count how many ponies have thought that there was more to that story. I'll have you know though; I'm still a single mare, at least for now."

That sounded a bit suggestive, and the fact that her hoof was still on my collar bone didn't help. My face was burning now, and my curiosity was rearing its ugly head again, but I really wanted to get off the topic before I said something really stupid.

"So… you said that you two bonded at the Summer Sun Celebration," I said, desperately trying to change the subject. "So how was that celebration? Anything really interesting happen?"

"You're kidding right?"

"Uh, no…" I felt like I was missing something, but I couldn't even start to guess as to what.

"The Summer Sun Celebration last year? When Equestria almost suffered eternal night? When Nightmare Moon returned?"

"Nightmare Moon…?"

"Yeah, right before princess Luna returned. I thought ever-pony in Equestria knew about that by now."

"Nightmare Moon…" I had heard that name before, "Princess Luna, her cutie mark, I… I have seen it. Ah!" My head felt like some-pony had just hit me with a freaking sledge hammer. I had sat there holding my head, writhing in pain; it almost felt like I was back in the dream.

"Hearts… Hearts! What's wrong!?" Lyra had wrapped her hooves around me, trying to hold me steady. It hurt, it hurt so much. My head felt like it was on fire, and I was willing to bet that if my bandanna wasn't on, I would have looked like a lighthouse. My mark was reacting. I was remembering something.

I had heard of Nightmare moon before, but who told me about her? I even knew that Princess Luna _was_ Nightmare Moon. She should have been sealed away. _She should have been sealed; I know how you feel._ Now I understood, but what I didn't understand was how. Not how did she escape, I didn't care about that, how did I know? Lyra never said Luna was Nightmare Moon, so why did I know? Where did I learn it? _Canterlot; Lyra's home._ That's it; that's how I knew; I learned it in Canterlot. But when was I in Canterlot, and why? What was…?

"Hearts!" Lyra was still next to me, trying to snap me out of my seizer. Thankfully, it worked. I was able to here her voice, and I focused on it. Just like that, my head stopped burning and aching. I was able to relax. "Hearts, are you alright? What happened?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I was anything but fine. I had gotten some memories back. I knew about Nightmare Moon again, and about Canterlot, but I wasn't going to tell her that. "I just got a head ach, there common for me, it's no big deal"

"That was not a head ach. You looked like you were having some sort of attack. Do you need to go to a hospital or something?"

"No! No really, it was just a head ach, maybe a migraine. I get them all the time, they're controlled. Really, I'm fine."

"Really?" Lyra didn't look at all convinced; I was not a clever pony.

"Uh, yeah, really." I didn't sound believable at all, but there was no way I was telling her the truth, as much as I wanted to.

"'Huh'… fine. If you don't want to tell me, don't tell me." She grabbed her Lyre and got up from the bench, it was actually kind of impressive how she could balance on two hooves before returning to all four, or three. "It's none of my business after all. You're not entitled to tell me the truth if you don't want to." She started walking away. "I guess I'll see around then. I hope you don't get anymore _migraines"_

"Uh…wait." She stopped for a moment. I did not want it to end like this. I had to say something, right now. "I… I'm sorry." Really? That's all I could think to say to her? Not tell her the truth and trust that she'll understand; not show her the mark under my bandana, and explain how it was the thing causing my migraine; not even coming up with a better lie. I say sorry. For what dumb-ass?

Lyra gave me a look that could pierce metal after that pathetic response. "Yeah, me too."

* * *

I felt my body go cold as she walked away. My first real friend in Ponyville, and I end up losing her as fast as I made her. I sat in that bench for a few more minutes, just thinking about what an idiot I was and cursing this stupid mark for messing with me. Eventually I did get up, but it wasn't my head that snapped me out of my pity, it was my stomach again.

I had spent so much time speaking to Lyra, I had forgotten the whole reason I was out here. That reminded me, Twilight must still be waiting for me at the café, and I had to get back. Maybe if I was fast, she wouldn't even notice that I was gone, but there was a problem with that idea. Apparently this town worked as a pretty good amplifier of music, because when I looked around to see if there was anything familiar I could use to find my way back, there was none. I hadn't even noticed that I was so deep in the town now. How the hay was I suppose to get back? No real answer came to me, so I just started walking and hoped for the best.

* * *

My plan was not a good one. The sun had already started to set, and I was still no closer to finding the café, Twilight, or even her tree library from when I started walking hours ago. For such a small town, it was sure easy for me to get lost. At this rate, night was going to fall before I ever found them.

"Man, it's starting to get late," I started talking to myself. "The moon should be rising up any minute now. The moon…"

The thought started ringing through my mind. I wondered how that would work now. I still had limited memories, but I knew that Celestia raised the sun and the moon periodically in my old time, but now Luna had been freed. Part of my new memories told me that Luna use to be in charge of the moon and stars many years ago. Now that she's back, does that mean that she does it again? Why would they trust her now? Maybe Celestia still controls them both and Luna just stays under her watch, but that makes no sense. If Luna was really on probation, how did she come to Ponyville, alone, to set me free? She could have snuck out, but…, I was thinking too hard. Why ever the reason, Luna was free now, and whatever she had become in the past, she is the princess of the night and she must have taken that role back. Celestia wouldn't hold a grudge against her, that's not how she is, right? If I'm right, then would she hold one against me? Why did I even care? Just what was she to me?

That same question kept popping up in my head over and over again, driving me half mad, but I had to stay focused. At that moment, I must have circled the same areas of town a dozen times. Wandering randomly wasn't working, not in the least. _Eventually_ I got the brilliant idea to ask for direction, hours after I had gotten lost, I am so smart.

Once I started checking to see which pony might be good to ask, she kind of found me.

"Angel. Where are you? Angel."

Some-pony had been calling that out to my side. When I checked to see who it was, the sight of a small pail yellow Pegasus pony caught my eye. The pony had a long pink mane and tail, the cutie-mark of three pink butterflies, and spoke in a hushed whispered tone. Her tone was so quiet, I had to wonder exactly who she was calling, and how she expected them to be able to hear her. I could barely hear what she was saying, and I was only two feet away from her.

"Angel, please come out. Angel. Oh, where did he go?"

I couldn't take it anymore; I had to see what was going on.

"Excuse me," I said as I stepped closer to the yellow mare pony, "But is something wrong?"

"Huh, oh?" She turned to me quickly, and as she looked at me, I could see an immediate fear in her eyes. I wasn't trying to hurt her or anything; I just asked if she was in trouble, so I didn't really know why she looked like that. "N…no, I was just looking for someone."

Her voice had actually got quieter, I wasn't even sure that was possible. Again, I could barely hear, but I hared the majority.

"Oh, really? Who did you lose?" She started creeping her way back, while cringing into herself. I had been scaring her to death, and I wasn't even sure how I was doing it, but the last thing I wanted was another bad impression on a pony. "Oh I'm sorry," I started backing off, "I didn't mean to scare you. You just looked like you were in trouble, and I thought I might be able to help." I hadn't noticed at the time, but she had already stopped shaking and was listening to what I was saying. "I'm sorry if I over stepped myself. I'll just leave you alone." I started to walk away.

I felt low as dirty right about then. I had shouted at the first ponies I had met; Ditched the little dragon that had offered to make me something to eat for no other reason than to be kind, of course that one was more Twilight's fault, who I had also ditched; Lied to a lone Lyre player and made her storm off in anger; and now I had scared the hay out of a young Pegasus just by offering to help her. I was starting to believe that this was just how things were going to be from now on. Maybe I was wrong before. Maybe this place really couldn't be a home for me after all.

Right when I was seconds from finding the nearest cliff to jump off of, I heard the hushed voice of that Pegasus girl shout "wait," or at least what I assumed was her version of a shout. I turned my head back to look at her.

"I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so rude. I'm just… not really use to talking to other ponies."

That was weight off my chest. So I didn't do anything wrong, she was just shy.

"No, I'm sorry. This was really none of my business, I shouldn't have butted in."

"But you said you just wanted to help, I was the one that assumed the worst and got scared, so for that I am dreadfully sorry.

Our little apology fest continued for awhile longer, so for times sake let me just get to the point; apparently the girls name was Fluttershy; she was out there looking for her pet bunny Angel, who had ran away moments before. I offered to help her, but she refused, saying she didn't want to be a hindrance. We went back and forth like that for a while longer until, eventually, we started to search the town for her pet together. A decision I've regretted everyday since.

I wasn't sure how much help I could really be in our search. I personally knew very little about rabbits, and even less about the lay-out of this town, but that wasn't going to stop me from trying. Just a natural part of being me, I suppose. I just can't look away when some-pony asks me for help. I like to think that that's true.

* * *

"Angel," Fluttershy was still calling out.

"Angel Bunny," I had started calling out alongside her.

"Oh…, where is he?"

"Fluttershy, do you know any places that he might have gone; any places that he really favors?"

"Not really. I know that Angel likes to eat, so he might have gone some place with a lot of food for him to snack on, maybe."

"Alright, that helps." It really didn't. I might have forgotten to mention, but Ponyville was a pretty small place, and all of it was covered in plenty of vegetation. The houses were pretty widespread and small, and pretty much all of them had some sort of plant either hanging in its window, or sitting outside in their front or backyards. There were plenty of places for a hungry rabbit to find a _snack_. "Alright then, do you know why he ran off in the first place?"

"Well…, Angel bunny has never been very patient. It was about time for me to feed him back home, but I had to tend to some of my other animal friends."

"'Other animal friends?'"

"Yes, but when I finally finished with them and was about to feed Angel, he had already left."

"Wow," That sounded like one bratty rabbit. "So you…"

"AHHHH!" A loud scream echoed from deeper in the town, interrupting mine and Fluttershy's talk

"What the!?" I shot my head in the direction of the screams source. "What was that?"

"Oh, The Horror!"

"Oh, no," Fluttershy said with noticeable worry in her voice. "I think I might know whose voice that is."

She started rushing in the direction of the screaming pony, finally using those wings she kept tucked at her side up until now. I had been wondering why she never used them when every other Pegasus in town seemed to rarely touch the ground. Seeing her fly, I guessed that one of the reasons was that she just wasn't too skilled a flier. Her flying wasn't very fast and easy to keep up with, good thing too, I didn't feel like getting lost again. So I followed close behind the now flying Pegasus to find out what the trouble was, and finding it was, surprisingly underwhelming, to say the least.

* * *

"Oh no," Fluttershy said as we finally found the _Trouble._

Apparently we had found her pet. The spoiled rabbit had found its next meal in the form of some white coated, red maned pony's flower garden. It was a pretty small garden, easy to miss, filled with primarily red roses, to match the white pony's cutie mark, or at least it use to be. Almost every rose had been eaten from the bud all the way down to the stem. Sitting in the middle of the patch, still chewing on one of the rose buds, was the white rabbit in question, looking full and satisfied.

"You little demon. How could you do such a thing to my lovely garden?" The rose pony started lecturing the rabbit while crouching at a distance, not wanting to get close to the thing. I can't blame her; if I had known the rabbit at the time, I probably would have done the same thing.

"Angel," Fluttershy started toward the rabbit. "You naughty little bunny; these flowers are not for you."

Fluttershy got into hoofs length of Angel bunny and just started to look at him. I don't know why, but those eyes worried me. Even then, I felt a bit of a… fear for them. I get that doesn't make much sense, but that's how it felt… strange.

"Now you are going to put those flowers down and come back home with me, right now."

Angel didn't waste a second thought. The moment Fluttershy extended her hoof, he jumped right into it. Once he was settled, Fluttershy pulled Angel closer to her beast and turned toward the rose Pony.

"Oh Rose, I am really sorry about this. I promise to make it up to you."

"You can make it up to me, by taking that killer of beautiful thing as for away from my garden as possible!"

The rose pony looked like she was seconds away from snapping, more than she already had. Fluttershy did what she was told and took Angel as far away from her garden as she could, as fast as she could go. I didn't waste a single word on the rose pony. I just followed after Fluttershy, finding that she had stopped to catch her breath about ten yards from the garden. She was definitely not the best flyer around, but I guess with her profession, she doesn't have to be.

* * *

"Well, she seemed nice,"

Apparently sarcasm was another of my acquired traits. Fluttershy Hadn't heard what I had said; she was too busy snuggling up to the little ball of fur we had spent a lot of the day looking for. She really did love that bunny, spoiled nature and all. It was cute to see how close they were, even if it was a bit strange as well.

I had no intention on spoiling their moment, so I figured it was about time I made myself scares.

"Well, I'm glad that you two were able to find each other Fluttershy. I guess I'll be going now. It was really nice to meet you."

I turned away and tried to continue my hunt for Twilight. At this point, I really had to get back to the café. Twilight might be getting worried, of course, for all I knew she could have been just worried that I was up to no good, either way, I had to find her. Before I had a chance to take as much as two steps away, I felt Fluttershy's hoof on my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks.

"Hearts, um… thank you again for helping me find Angel bunny."

"Huh, oh, it's no problem. I was happy to help, even with what little I actually did."

I had decided to look the Pegasus in the eye with that last sentence, big mistake. Apparently she had decided to take that time to look into mine as well. I'm not really sure what it is she saw, but whatever it was, I'm sure it guided what she said next.

"Oh… my…."

"What is it?"

Fluttershy was looking really close at me at this point, closer than she had all day. I hadn't really realized it, but in that whole day, this was the first time we really got a good look at one another. We weren't exactly hiding from each other or anything, but we had spent so much time and attention on finding that rabbit, that we hadn't spent much to notice the ponies we were spending it with, and I kind of enjoyed my look. She was so small, not short, but so submissive. She didn't look strong in any sense of the word, she was pretty scrawny, explains why she was such a slow flyer. What I really looked at though, was her eyes, when they weren't being covered by that hair of hers. They looked so scared, even though there was no noticeable danger. She's so timid, but that wasn't all. Beneath that, I saw… compassion, like she couldn't so much as hurt a fly. She was so innocent, it was a bit worrying, but at the same time, well, cute.

I could only imagine what she was thinking about me. What did my eyes say?

"I…um… Hearts," she started to say, looking and sounding nervous. What did she see? "I would… really like to repay you for your kindness, if you'll let me."

"There's nothing to repay. I helped you because I wanted to, that's all. I don't want anything for…"

I guess my stomach had disagreed with my decision, because it took the liberty of finishing my sentence for me. I started to blush again as Fluttershy kept looking at me.

"Oh, are you hungry?"

"Well, uh…"

"That's it!" She got really excited, her wings told me that. "That's how I can repay you for helping me find Angel. Why don't I make you something to eat?"

"Fluttershy, that's really not necessary." I tried backing away from the scene this time, and again I was stopped by Fluttershy's hoof. This time she decided to grab my fore hoof in hers in a sort of affectionate way.

"Please Hearts. After what you did for me, I just have to do something for you. Please."

Do you remember what I said about that stare she gave Angel before? I remember thinking how glad I was that he was the one under its gaze and not me; I was hoping that I would never have to face it myself. Well, now I was thinking that I might prefer it to this one. That Face Fluttershy gave me was just… not fair. How did she even get her eyes so big? Nature shouldn't allow any-pony to have a face so sad. It was just not fair.

"Well…I…I guess I could use something to eat, if you're really offering." She immediately shifted from sad, to excited again at those words. I was played.

Of course I said yes to her. Like there was anything else I could say. I would love to see any-pony say no to that face, I would love to. So seconds after my answer, again, some-pony forgot that my legs worked just fine, because, again, I was being dragged through town against my will. Fluttershy was surprisingly strong for the fragile flyer I knew she was. I didn't bother fighting; I just sucked it up and let the Pegasus pull me to wherever she had planned to take me. As for Twilight, well, all I could really do was find her place later and hope she returned by the time I did. Maybe she would be okay with me ditching her and wondering off on my own. I was just trying to get a better feel for my new surrounding after all, and wasn't that what we had wanted anyway. She couldn't get mad at me for that, Could she?

The answer of course, was yes, she could. I had a lot of explaining to do later on, But for now, lead on Fluttershy.

 _To Be Continued_

* * *

 _Next Chapter: Some memories are best left forgotten? No._

* * *

 **And there you have it, my second chapter finally done, if you don't include the prologue. Again, I don't have much prepared for bantering, so… let's just end it I guess (Wow, never thought I would actually start missing the spirit and the whack-job -)-'). So, I hope you enjoyed this new chapter, if you did, try favoriting and following this story to keep up with the updates, as few as there are. If you have a comment, leave it down below, I always appreciate it. As always, I hope to see you all in the next chapter.**

 **Until then…**


	4. Memories

**Hello all you fiction readers and writers alike, and welcome to another chapter of '** _ **A Journey of Hearts.'**_ **A fair warning to all you, I got pretty creative with this chapter, which is another way to say,** _ **it's long as hell.**_ **While writing it I was thinking, "this is a little long, maybe I should shorten it for some readers," but then another thought hit that said, "** _ **screw it, lets just leave it as it is."**_ **So I did… the end, let's continue.**

* * *

 _ **Recap:**_

 _ **Last chapter, Twilight agreed, and-or was forced, to assist Heart Major in reconnecting with the current time period. Attempting to do just that, she decides to bring him to one of the local cafés to sample some of the local foods, or so she said. While there, Hearts doesn't wait more than a few minutes before he wanders off in search of a musical source he could hear playing through town. When he finds it, he makes a quick friend in the Lyre player, Lyra Heartstrings, who was its source, only to blow it in less time than it took him to find her. Down on himself, Hearts decided to head back to Twilight and the café, not realizing he had gotten himself lost, but instead runs into another pony, Fluttershy, who was looking for her lost pet. Hearts couldn't just look the other way so he decided to help her find him. Fluttershy was so grateful after finding her pet that she offered to make him something to eat back at her place. Hearts was hesitant, but he new he couldn't pass up the offer, so he followed her back to her home.**_

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer:**_

 _ **My Little Pony is property of Hasbro**_

 _ **The story and select characters belong to me**_

 **And now… to the story. (I'm serious about the length. Lesser readers might want to consider taking a break every now and then.)**

* * *

 _Preview: No memory is truly forgotten, no matter how much you may wish it to be._

* * *

Chapter 3\- _Memory_

" _You're not a Unicorn; you'll never have magic; so why do you even try?"_

Those were the first words I heard in that place, were ever it was.

"You're an Earth-pony, that's all you'll ever be, so just accept it."

Those words, and more, kept continuing around me, but I couldn't tell from were. Once I started looking for them, all I could see was… grey? It was all grey. I had been standing in the middle of a field whose grass was not green, under a night with no stars. The shock of familiarity hit me like a speeding cart as I realized what this place was. The place I had been trapped for three centuries.

"Hearts…" some-pony said in the distance, giving off a different tone than that of the negative voices.

I turned toward the sound, expecting Celestia to be there. She was always in my dreams after all; a single comfort, in a bleak existence, however, the pony I turned toward was no Alicorn princess, not even close. This pony was a short Earth-pony mare, looking well older than me, or any of the mares I had gotten to know so far, excluding the princesses of course. She had a short white mane, crimson coat, and a cutie-mark of what looked like a gold bit flipping on her flank. But what was more interesting, was the vest she wore. It looked just like mine; a zip up with green upper fading into a lower black. Who was this pony?

"Hearts, what are you doing to yourself?"

Her voice was so calming. The voices, those that still insulted me, which scorned me, they were quiet now; her voice had quieted them. Who was she? I had to know. I tried getting closer; I didn't care about anything else; I just wanted to know who she was. Before I could take a second step closer though, some-pony else had placed a hoof on my shoulder, stopping me in place.

"Hearts…" the other pony said, "…what _are_ you doing?"

I looked over my shoulder, and what I saw, I never expected. Celestia had shown up, and she was standing only inches away. In all my dreams, I had never gotten in hoofs reach, and now, here she was, standing at my side, comforting me. I might have cried but I couldn't tell; I felt numb.

"I have done this," she said, hanging her head over me, her eyes shut. "This must end." She lowered her head to mine. "You must stop hiding, my…"

 _My what? What did you say!?_ I wanted to scream that at her. What were those last words? I hadn't heard them; it was as if her voice had cut off. When I looked up, I found out why. Celestia was gone, and not just her, the red mare was gone now too.

This was not happening. After years of waiting, I finally reached Celestia… no, I didn't reach her, she reached me, and now she was gone, again. I could feel again, and what I felt was not sadness, but red hot fury.

"Stop hiding? I'm not the one hiding!" I shouted to the black skies, pretending some-pony was listening. "Why do you keep running!? Why is this all happening to _me_!?" No one answered; I don't know why I expected them to. "Celestia!"

My anger just grew stronger, my thoughts went fuzzy, and my head started to hurt. I didn't know what else to think, what else to ask, what else to scream, but before I had a chance to find out, the world faded. I was waking up.

* * *

Like before, my vision had returned to me gradually as I opened my eyes. This was only the second time I had awoken from the dream, but returning, even once, was exhausting; makes me never want to sleep again.

It took me some time to collect my thoughts, the anger from the dream still fresh in my mind. Looking around, I noticed that I was inside of a small cabin, or maybe a shack, and I wasn't the only resident. The place was filled with all sorts of animals, from bears to birds. The décor was pretty basic. A bunch of bird feeders, cages, and stands decorated the upper areas of the place, while the lower seemed to be home to a wide assortment of small beds and baskets, all occupied by smaller resting creatures. The rabbit from before included.

At first I was wondering what was going on and why I was in this place instead of at Twilight's library, but eventually I remembered the night before. The yellow Pegasus girl, what was her name…? Fluttershy, that was it. She had invited me over to have a bite to eat in exchange for helping her find her rabbit, although I didn't have much, since the little runt kept eating my food. I remembered having a conversation, making up stories in order to keep the talk going, and just hanging out. I'm not sure when, but I guess at some point I had agreed to spend the night. Twilight was going to kill me, but she must have used those eyes on me again because I felt no remorse for staying.

Whatever the reason, I had woken up on a couch within the Pegasus's house. She was no where to be seen among the creatures below, so she must have been sleeping in the upper level, thank goodness. Returning to Twilight was already going to be difficult enough without explaining how I had booted some random pony out of their bed, or worse.

So I guess Fluttershy wasn't kidding when she told me about all her other animal friends. I could barely find space to start walking down their… way down there. Wait… why were they so low down? How big was this couch? When I looked closer, I noticed the floor was… very far away, and when I looked under the couch, I noticed its legs were not touching it. I might have freaked out a little. Wouldn't you? The couch was floating, why was the couch floating? Closer inspection revealed that it was coated in a strong red aura, similar to the auras of Unicorn horns when they used magic. So that means that a Unicorn was doing this? It had to be, but it couldn't be. There was no Unicorn in sight. The only one's in the room were me and a bunch of animals, and unless they learned how to use Unicorn magic since I'd been gone, there was no one who could do this. _You're not a Unicorn, you'll never have magic._ Those words repeated in my head, and it was then that I got an explanation, an impossible explanation. I slowly moved one of my hooves up to my head, hesitating to reach for the mark that sat their, but I guess doing that must have made me lose my focus or something, because the moment my hoof got close, the aura around the couch faded and it fell back to the ground, me along with it. The force from the fall seemed to be enough to send me bounding off of the cushions and tumbling down to the wooden floor, not fun.

* * *

I didn't have any explanation for this. As I peeled myself off of the shack's floor, I moved my hoof back up to my forehead by instinct, more to stop the aching than to inspect the mark again. Was this thing really lifting that small couch in the air? I suppose such a thing wouldn't be too hard for a normal Unicorn, but I wasn't a Unicorn!

Before I could take any more time to ponder the situation, or freak-out, which ever came first, I could hear the hoof steps of a pony coming from the upper floor. I looked to the second floors balcony to see Fluttershy standing at the railing and looking down at me.

"Hearts," she called out, "What happened? I heard a loud… Is everything alright?"

I looked back at the couch, then to Fluttershy again, and spoke. "Uh… yeah, it's fine, nothing major." Ha, major…sorry. "I just fell off the couch, bad dream. I don't think I fell on anyone though, so it's alright." At least I hoped I didn't fall on anyone. When I looked around all of the creatures I had noticed before had awoken now and were looking to me. Although that was a bit unsettling, it looked like everything was alright, no one was hurt, and no one was under the couch, thankfully. Everything was fine. Yeah right.

Fluttershy had started trotting down the stairs. Not sure why she didn't just fly but I wasn't really thinking that at the time. She bypassed all of her bewildered friends on the lower level, and headed straight for me, having a look of both concern and general confusion on her face. As she stood before me, she got really, really in my face, forcing me back.

"Uh, Fluttershy, what are you doing?" She got closer. "Fluttershy?" I had started to blush, not knowing what she was trying.

"Hearts, what is that?" she pointed her hoof up to my forehead.

How did I not realize until now? Last night, before going to sleep, I had taken my clothes off, including my headband. My hooves shot to my forehead as I realized the mistake, a little too fast might I add, ouch.

"Hearts, why are you trying to hide it? I can still see it; it's on your flank too."

That's right; the mark was also my cutie-mark, which made it harder to hide. I had moved my tail over one part of my flank, trying to hide as best as I could, and started to look around for my clothes to cover up. There they were, back on top of the couch were I had put them. How they stayed on after I had fallen off was anyone's guess. I scrambled to put them back on, of course, that only made things tougher, but I didn't really have time to worry about that.

"Hearts, calm down." I stopped halfway through putting on my vest and my head band tied over my eye instead of my forehead. "Why are you acting so scared? Did I say something I shouldn't have?" She started cringing, probably afraid that I was upset. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to pry. Just forget I said anything."

"Huh? Uh, no, no." I tried calming her down. "You didn't do anything wrong it's just, uh…" I didn't know what to say. I wasn't even sure why she worried so much about what I thought, we just met.

"But you seem so scared, and you're trying to hide your mark from me. Is there something wrong; is it… a bad sign?"

"Uh… no, I just… I don't like ponies seeing them. That's all."

"But, why?"

I started to sweat; ponies were really curious in this town. Guess I fit in more than I thought. "It's… a birth mark. Yeah, and it's just a little embarrassing. That's why I cover it up."

"But, then why is it your cutie-mark?"

"Uh…" I was tong tied. I really hope that lying wasn't part of who I was, because I was really bad at it.

"Oh my, I'm prying again aren't I? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean too. We just met and I don't have any right to be asking you these things." This was starting to feel very familiar. "You don't have to tell me the truth if you don't want to, I never should have asked." That settled it, this was familiar; it's like fate had forced me to relive the mistake I made with Lyra all over again. There was no way; I was not making the same mistake twice. "Um…, I know, it's morning now. I'll go make us some breakfast, a special apology breakfast. I really hope you'll stay to eat, unless you want to leave now. If you do I'll understand. I must have really hurt you with my questions. Sometimes I can be such a…"

"Fluttershy," I had to stop her, "…enough." I straitened up my vest and took my head band off. It was high time I did something right. "Fluttershy, I should be the one to apologize."

Fluttershy's expression changed from upset to confused. "…but, I'm the one who…"

"You did nothing wrong. You've showed me nothing but kindness since we met, and now I'm trying to hide things from you. I'm the one who should be sorry." I took a seat on the floor. "No more secrets, no more lying. Do you really want to know about my mark?"

"Well… it's none of my business, and it's yours to say if you…"

"Do you!?" I might have said that last part a little too harshly. Fluttershy responded with a scared jump and a gradual nod _yes_. "Alright then, let me tell you all that I can."

* * *

Having been allowed to place my clothing back on, all but that headband, no more hiding, Fluttershy and I had decided to move our talk outside. I told her it was probably going to be a long story and she believed we should go somewhere a bit more comfortable, apparently to her, more comfortable meant sitting outside in the dirt, instead of inside on her couch, not sure why. So we had chosen a nice soft spot in the grass just outside of her cabin; a spot we could see the sun as it peaked over the distant mountains.

We had sat there eating a few daisy sandwiches she had made earlier, she wasn't kidding when she said it was about breakfast time, as I explained as much as I could about the predicament I was in.

"Wow," she said as she swallowed another bit of her sandwich, "so… you're over three-hundred years old?"

"Mm-humph…" I said between bites. I swallowed and continued. "I know it's hard to believe, but I really am telling the truth this time."

"No, I believe you."

"Really?" I felt pretty relived; this was easier than I thought. "Even after I lied to you before?"

"You had your reasons, I trust you."

"Wow, thank you."

She gave me a smile that could brighten a room as she continued. "So Luna and Twilight were the one's that set you free, right?"

"They were. Princess Luna said that princess Twilight would be able to help me reconnect with this time and its ponies."

"That was good judgment. Twilight is the best friend any-pony could have. I'm sure she'd be able to help you."

"Oh, you know her then."

"She's one of my best friends actually."

"Is she?" Now that is one strange coincidence. Abandon one pony, only to run into one of her friends, freaky.

"I know that she can help you, but…"

Fluttershy had turned away from me now. I didn't know what she was thinking, but she seemed to be nervous… or more nervous than usual at least.

"Fluttershy, is there something wrong."

"Hearts, I wanted to avoid asking this…"

"Don't, I told you I would tell you everything I could, and I meant it."

She took a deep breath and began to speak again. "Alright, I was wondering…"

"You want to know why I was sealed away."

I could actually see her jump at me finishing her question. "Um… if you don't mind me asking."

"Not at all. Unfortunately I can't give you a straight answer."

"Oh, I guess that's one of the memories you lost then?"

"It is." I got depressed. I just turned toward the beds of flowers lying before us.

"What's wrong?" Fluttershy moved closer to me, noticing my discourse.

"It's just, so frustrating," I started to tense up, "being sealed away, losing everything that I had once known, only to forget about them when waking up. All I can tell you is that it definitely has something to do with this." I pointed to the mark on my forehead.

"Do you know what it is?"

"No, but Princess Luna told me that I'm the one that placed it on my own head. As to why, after all that it's done to me, I really can't say."

"I thought you said you couldn't remember?"

"I can't, call it a feeling, and a nightmare. I don't know what this mark is, but I think it was supposed to give me magic."

"Magic? You mean… like a Unicorn."

"Yeah, like a Unicorn."

"Wow…"

"I guess that's how I felt too. I must really have been stupid back then."

"What do you mean?"

I looked Fluttershy in the eyes. She had retreated a bit, so I guess I had a pretty scary face on as a started to explain. "Can you imagine what life must have been for an Earth-pony obsessed with being a Unicorn, like there was something wrong with being an Earth-pony; the ridicule, the hatred they must have felt for me." Fluttershy had stopped retreating and was now listening intently. She looked as if she really could relate, but I didn't care to notice, I was too busy feeling sorry for myself. "I don't know why I was sealed away, but I bet that they believed that I deserved it. Maybe no one even cared. Why should they?"

Fluttershy didn't respond right away. For awhile we just sat there in silence. Eventually I could get out of my rut long enough to see Fluttershy had put herself in one. I wanted to ask what was wrong, but she had beaten me to it.

"I can't tell you why you were sealed, but I think I can tell what you went through." At first I was annoyed to hear that again, but that only lasted until Fluttershy looked up at me. Her eyes had actually started to water. "I guess in that way we're kind of the same." I was listening. "I don't know if you haven't noticed, but I'm not exactly the best flier in Ponyville." I had noticed, thankfully I never said anything, that still didn't mean she could relate. "Well the thing is. I've never been a good flier. Ever since I was a filly, I could never keep up with the rest of the Pegasi, in anything. I couldn't fly fast; I was horrible at telling weather patterns; my eyes aren't even that strong. Do you think that any-pony didn't mock me for that? It got so bad that more than a few times I just wished I could crawl away and disappear, and I never thought any-pony would care if I did."

Oh sweet Celestia, she _was_ going through what I was, and here I was saying how someone in my situation deserved what he got, and not knowing I was talking about her too.

"Fluttershy, I… I didn't know. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"It's alright. That happened a long time ago, and even though those words hurt, when I found my new friends, things started to get better."

"Friends? You mean like Twilight?"

"She and the rest of the girls always make me feel better when I'm down, but their not who I mean."

Fluttershy held out her hoof, and looked up to the trees, calling to something. In response, a small bird flew down to her, and it wasn't alone. One after another, a bunch of smaller animals started surrounding us… surrounding her.

"The day that I came down here and found all of my friends was one of the best days of my life. It's the day that I found out that my destiny wasn't in the skies like the rest, it was right here, with them."

"Your destiny?" I started looking toward her cutie-mark. Three butterflies, so that's what it meant.

"Yes, a destiny that I chose to have, just like you." She pulled down part of my pants with her hoof. I looked down to see that she was showing off my cutie-mark, the same Unicorn mark that lay on my head. "You know, when I first told ponies about my destiny, my chosen role, a lot of them thought that I was trying to be an Earth-pony, but I didn't care about that. Whether I was or wasn't, I was doing what I loved, despite what they thought."

She's so brave, far braver than I gave her credit for. I thought it was kind of odd for a Pegasus to have a job that seemed like something an Earth-pony should be doing, and apparently I wasn't the only one. To keep doing what she loved, despite what others say. Was I that brave, I doubt it, but could I be?

As I started thinking, my mark had started to react again. When I noticed, I tried moving my hooves to it, but Fluttershy had stopped me. She just gave me a look that said something I guess I really needed to here, _stop hiding._ I did as she said, sort of, and put my hooves down, letting my mark finish whatever it was doing. As magic kept flooding out, the white coloring around it started to fade, as it did on my cutie-mark as well. They had gone back to normal.

* * *

"Oh my," Fluttershy said as she looked at the red mark as it kept glowing, "Hearts, how does it feel?"

How would I answer that? "It feels…"

"Gahh!"

Before I could finish, Fluttershy and I had heard a pony scream in the distance. When we looked over, I was surprised to see a particularly scared looking purple Alicorn standing before us.

"Twilight?" Fluttershy said in surprise.

"Uh, Twilight…" I had been dreading this confrontation, but things did not turnout like I had imagined. "Nice to…"

"Heart! What's going on!?" She yelled. "What happened to your mark!?"

"Huh?" I looked up to my forehead, "Well…"

"Twilight, not that I mind, but what are you doing here?" Fluttershy tried making sense of the situation.

"Forget that." Twilight's horn started to glow. As the magic burst from it, Fluttershy had vanished from my side over to behind Twilight.

"What the?" I was both shocked and amazed at the same time. "How… how did you…?"

"Hearts, I need you to power down your mark."

"Huh, oh, umm…" I wasn't even sure if I could do that, but honestly, a lot of me didn't even want to. Fluttershy's influence I guess.

"Twilight." Fluttershy got Twilight's attention with a hoof on her shoulder, "what is going on? Why do you want Hearts to power down his mark?"

"Fluttershy," she turned toward the Pegasus, "you don't understand. I can't explain now, but this pony is dangerous when that mark is active."

 _I'm, dangerous?_

"But he's not, I know he isn't"

"Fluttershy, I'll explain it to you later, but now, I need you to step back." Twilight tried moving Fluttershy back, but kept her sight on me.

"You don't have to, Hearts already explained it."

Twilight's sight shot to Fluttershy. "He did? What did he tell you?"

I don't know what they said next, my senses were beginning to fail. My mind, my mark, they had both begun to react. _'He's dangerous,_ ' she called me dangerous, but she wasn't the first. My head ached again, and I threw my hooves on it as the pain increased more, and more, and more. I threatened to pass out from all of it, but my mind wouldn't let me. It wanted me fully aware; I was gaining back my memory, all of it.

* * *

There it all was; my past; my old home; my old family; even my old job; everything was in my grasp again. The memory, the one that I wished to seal away, perhaps the very one that had caused me to lose the rest, was playing out right in front of me.

I had been inside of the dinning room of a large house, surrounded by four other ponies. One was a buff, light-brown Earth-pony, with a darker brown main and the Cutie-mark of two planks of wood arranged as an X, the one standing next to him was the reverse of his coat, main, and tail, the lighter brown being his mane color and vise-versa, his Cutie-mark was that of a metal nut. I knew now, these two were my brothers, _2X4_ and _Lugnut_ , in that order. Standing just before me were two more Earth-ponies, an old mare, the same red mare from my former dream, my mother _Luxious Major_ , and next to her stood a far larger stallion, looking about her age. He had a deep blue coat, a long black mane, almost like mine, and the Cutie-mark of a bright blue-print. This was _Blueprint_ , my father.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" I was in the middle of a heated argument with my father. "I don't regret what I did."

"You don't regret abandoning your own family, and leaving to fulfill some childish fantasy of using magic?" The old stallion was shouting at me, just as usual.

"I didn't abandon any-pony. I was never a construction pony, you knew that, and look where trying to _'fulfill my childish fantasy,'_ got me. I'm the student of the greatest sorceries in Equestria, I'm living in the lands capitol, I would think that you would be proud of that."

That's right, I grew up in a family of construction ponies, even though I was never very good at building things. That was my life, up until the day I placed the mark on my head and started practicing magic. Obviously, my father never approved, big shocker.

"Proud of you; you want me to be proud? Tell me something _sorcerer..."_

"I'll take that as a complement."

"…tell me, did you know exactly what that mark was before you put it on your head?"

"What kind of question is that? Of course I…"

"Did you know everything!? Where it came from? Who made it? Its origins? How about why it was in the forbidden section of the castles library?"

"Um…"

"Did you know all of that? All of it!?"

I hesitated to answer, but only for a moment. "…'sigh,' no."

"So you used a forbidden mark, without knowing everything about it first? I thought we taught you better than that."

My gaze started wondering around the room. No one else was speaking up; my brothers were too scared to say anything, they knew how our old man got; my mom wasn't usually scared by him, but something was different this time, she wasn't stepping in at all. As much as I kind of wanted her too, I knew I was on my own with this one.

"Fine, I didn't get all the information, I'll give you that, but it all worked out in the end."

"Oh yeah, you end up abandoning us to follow your dreams, what fulfillment."

"Stop saying I abandoned you! I'm here now, aren't I!?"

"Yeah, you are. After seven years of no communication, you just show up out of the blue. Is that what you consider keeping in touch? I didn't know we raised someone so selfish."

"I… wanted to come earlier, but I couldn't… I couldn't…"

"Couldn't what? Let me guess, you couldn't control your magic yet, and you were afraid you would hurt us. Is that what you were going to say?"

"Uh…" It was, damn it.

"It was, wasn't it? So what now, you think you can control it so now is the best time to return?" I couldn't say anything; no way could I admit that he was right. "I see, you know Hearts, Maybe it would have been better if you didn't show at all." That got every-ponies attention. My brothers could finally look directly at our father.

"Blue!" Mom finally spoke up, but didn't get to say much.

"Lux, don't try protecting him this time. He does something stupid, endangers everyone, and then leaves without a trace instead of owning up to his mistake. This boy is _Dangerous_ and if he couldn't face us then, I don't see why he should bother now."

That was the last straw, I couldn't take it anymore; I had to get out of there. "You know what, you're right, I shouldn't have bothered." I started toward the front door. "Thanks for having me over, it's always nice come back the _Family."_

My slow trot to the door quickly turned into a full gallop as I rushed to get out of that house. I started to hear some-pony coming after me. I didn't know why and I didn't care, I didn't want to deal with them right now. Once I got out of the door, I used a spell to seal it shut. The spell would fade soon, but I would be far gone by then. I didn't know how literal that statement was, but I would find out soon enough.

The memory is fuzzy after that. I remember running for a long time. It wasn't long after that that everything turned dark. I think that was the time I started to enter the dream. Someone, something took over after that. It had a name, one I had forgotten long ago and was proud to have, but I remembered now. The name of the being that had forced me to be sealed away, _Minucorn._

* * *

What happened next is… hazy, even now, but I'll try to explain as best as I can. When I first got out of my memories, I could hear some-pony calling me, I think it was Twilight.

"Hearts? Hearts, what's going on?" I believe that's what she said, she was calling out to me but I couldn't respond, or at least _I_ couldn't. "Hearts listen; we have to get you back to my house. I can seal your mark again. It's too dangerous to keep…"

"Seal," My voice started to say, but I wasn't the one controlling it. "No, I will not be sealed, not again."

"Hearts, we're not going to seal you, I will keep my promise, but we have to seal your mark's power."

"I…will…not…be…sealed…AGAIN!" Something was happening to me. My mark was increasing in power, and I could feel something covering my body, it almost felt like a cloak, or a blanket, or _something_. Whatever it was, I knew that no-pony was near me, so where did it come from? Was I making it? I still don't know.

I think that Twilight was still trying to call to me. She might have even tried attacking me. I did feel some kind of force pushing against my body, but it was slight. I was horrified; I didn't want to go back to the dream. For so long I had been suffering in that place, and now that I've felt how great it is outside, would I have to go back? I didn't want to, I wanted to stay; I wanted to see if I could really live here, to make friends, to do the things I should have before, and now I was going to lose everything, again. I couldn't go through that.

Moments before I broke down, I could hear another voice calling me. This one was quieter, calmer, it was Fluttershy, I'm sure of that. What did she say again? …not sure, but that didn't matter; I could feel her getting closer. Closer to a dangerous creature that could kill a pony with a thought and eat there sorrow, did I mention he could do that. I was freaked out for her, and I guess that's what I needed, because it was after that that my senses cleared up and I gained… nothing but that, certainly not control.

"…arts, come on you have to hear me. Please, say something." Fluttershy had desperately been crying out things like that for I don't know how long. Her eyes were swollen with tears that might have actually helped me, that don't mean I liked it.

"Fluttershy get away from me." Fluttershy brightened at my words, but not by much. I looked at my own body and noticed why. That cloak I spoke of wasn't really a cloak. I don't know what I was, it was some kind of black light that covered my body, and the stuff was moving like fire burning around it, and it almost felt as hot. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

"Hearts, finally." She seemed relived; I guess she had been calling for awhile.

"Fluttershy, please get away from me! I don't want to hurt you!"

"You won't." She sounded so sure, but I wasn't.

"I don't know what I'll do now."

The cloak had gotten bigger, it covered most of my body now; everything but my head. The energy from the mark had started the pulse out of control; I'm guessing that's why Fluttershy and Twilight couldn't get close. Everything, including them, was being pushed away by what felt like a strong wind, and I was the source. I couldn't control anything, not even my own body. I feared the worst. I did want to live in this time, but what did that incorporate? Being a danger to every-pony in a way that even the windigos of the past were not? No, I wouldn't let that happen.

I looked over at Twilight, looking like she was having trouble keeping herself standing, and decided to make the hardest choice I would ever make. "Twilight," I got her attention, "Do you know the spell that sealed me away in the first place?" She was hesitant at first, but she eventually nodded. "Alright, I want you to…"

"No, Twilight don't you dare do that." Fluttershy screamed at the Alicorn, louder than I thought was even possible for her.

"Fluttershy…"

"Hearts, you are not going back to that seal, I can't let you."

"Fluttershy, Look at me!? You and Twilight can…" It was tough to talk, the energy had started affecting my voice now, "…you can… barley stand. We have to get rid… of this power."

"Then you do it." I focused my gaze on her, as tough as it was. "This is your power, your destiny, your cutie-mark proves that. You have to control it."

"This is not my power..." I hung my head. "It's the power of this damn mark..., one that I was stupid enough... to take without knowing anything about. I can't control it."

"It's because you're trying too hard." Twilight had spoken up. When I looked over to her, I noticed that she had started walking over to me. "You can't fight that kind of power, and can't control it, but you can't let it control you." She had managed to get closer to me than Fluttershy and was still walking.

"Twilight, stop, please. I don't want to hurt you. Just seal me away." She wasn't listening.

"To gain real control… you have to let it take you." She stumbled a bit but kept walking closer. "Accept the power as it is… and guide it…, but don't… fight."

"Don't fight it? Have you gone mad?"

"I'm walking toward a source of out of control energy, what do you think? But… you have… to trust me." She managed to get to me and placed a hoof onto my shoulder.

I still thought she was mad, but she wasn't going to seal me away, so I was kind of out of options. ' _Let it take me?'_ Alright then take me.

* * *

I did as Twilight instructed and stopped fighting the energy flow. At first, the energy went crazy as I had feared. Twilight didn't manage to keep close after that, the increased output forced her back. She and Fluttershy were sent tumbling back while the energy still increased, but I kept calm this time. The dark vale around me had begun going wild as the energy did, but without me fighting back, it was short lived. With no resistance, I guess the mark didn't feel like there was anymore reason to fight, so it didn't. I just kept keeping my cool as best as I could, and surely enough, the energy started to give up. The cloak faded back into me, the energies light faded too, and all of the force they had created just lessened until it stopped altogether. It actually worked, for the most part, I had gained control, or at least stopped it, for now.

I was exhausted. The moment the energy had calmed down, I just wanted to collapse and take a long nap, but Twilight managed to catch me before that could happen. Her and Fluttershy had managed to fly back to my sides to give some much needed support. Managing to look up at the two mares, I noticed the smiles of relief on there faces. I had the same one on mine.

"Thank you," I said to the two as they started easing me down onto the ground to rest. I looked over to Twilight. "Twilight, how did you know that would work?"

"A friend told me, awhile back."

"A friend?" Does that mean she was in this kind of situation before? What does this girl do?

"Yeah, and I new you'd be able to control it."

"How could you know that? Even I had given up."

"Well, the princess trusts you, my friend was willing to trust you, and… I never gave you enough trust myself, so I guess I owed you some now."

"What? What do you mean? You…"

"I agreed to help you, and let you stay with me, because the princess told me to, but I never thought it was a good idea. I thought I was going to have sealed you back away from the start, and when you asked me to, I almost did."

"Why didn't you?"

Twilight looked over towards Fluttershy before she turned back to me. "I already told you. I trust my friends, and Fluttershy trusted you to the very end. Now I see that I should have done the same. I'm sorry."

Twilight forced her head away, but I could see how she was feeling. She had really thought she made a mistake, when that was far from the truth.

"No." I stood back up and moved into her gave, "I should be thanking you. Whatever you thought before, you trusted me now, even when I couldn't." Twilight's mood had started to change. "I'm grateful to you, both of, Thank You."

I managed to get a smile out of Twilight, which in turn got one out of Fluttershy. I owed my life to these girls, _and I will repay_ , but at the moment, there was still something I needed to do, and it hadn't taken me long to realize it.

"Twilight," I spoke again, "I appreciate all that you have done for me, you too Fluttershy, but I have to ask one more thing from you."

Twilight was pretty surprised to here me say that. "Oh, of… of course, anything, just name it."

* * *

Hours after my little… episode, Fluttershy, Twilight, and I had found ourselves back in the very same spot were this had all begun. Earlier, I had asked Twilight to send a message over to the princess, asking her to meet us back at Ponyville in the same spot she'd released me. I had been fully prepared to wait another day at least before she could get here, despite wishing to see her as soon as possible. Imagine my surprise when Twilight told me she could get her over here in only a matter of hours. Admittedly, I can't say I completely believed her at the time, but when she showed a letter from the princess, responding to one she had sent to her only moments ago, I was simultaneously relived, amazed, and a bit skeptical about the Equestrian mail systems. A lot of things sure have changed.

As promised, after only waiting about four hours, give-or-take, in the distance, we could see the sight of a golden Pegasus drawn carriage flying towards us in the distance. I stood at attention, eager to speak with Luna again, but to my surprise, she was not the princess I spoke with, at least, not the only one. As the carriage landed, we were greeted with the welcoming sight of the night princess, but it was being hindered by a far more shocking sight. Sitting in the carriages center seat was Luna's older sister, and the princess of the day, princess Celestia.

She had been just as I remembered her, white coat, animated aurora mane, gold jewelry; it was all more or less the same. She stared walking directly towards me the moment she exited the coach, but I was still in shock so I don't think I reacted.

"So…" The day princess began to speak, "…It's true then." I finally snapped out of my shock long enough to notice what was going on around me, e.g. every-pony, including Twilight, Fluttershy, and any other pony within' visual distance, had begun to bow toward the two; I figured I should probably do the same. "You have really returned." Celestia placed a hoof under my chin before I had a chance to bow, forcing me to look up at her.

The sensation I felt after she touched me was… it's hard for me to explain; it was like letting out a long held breath only to start wheezing the moment you tried. It was quite overwhelming, but I forced my cool, the mark taught me how to do that.

Taking a breath, I spoke up. " _'Sigh'_ … yes, I am." She removed her hoof from my chin, allowing me to move back. "Hello princess." I got my chance to bow.

"I must say, this is a… unexpected surprise."

"Well, I suppose I could say the same thing." I looked back to Celestia.

"Oh?"

"When I requested an audience with a princess, I had expected only Luna to reply." I looked over to Twilight who looked a bit embarrassed at the out come.

"Well unfortunately, my former student, these messages only travel one way." She showed me the letter Twilight had supposedly sent to Luna. "These messages can only be sent directly to me. She hasn't opened a channel with Luna. Though, perhaps that is a good thing." The look Celestia gave Luna at that moment put Fluttershy's creepy stare to shame, I think I actually heard a scared Squeak from Luna, seriously.

"But princess," Twilight intervened, "I did label that letter _'to Luna.'_ "

"Yes, I did see that." Celestia didn't hesitate. "My apologies, I suppose it was a princess's curiosity that led me to check it."

I must have missed something. The Sun princess opened a letter that was not for her, despite it being sent to her, but some how it felt like we were in the wrong. I would find out why a moment later, but man did she look pissed.

"Imagine my surprise…" Celestia continued, "…when I realized it spoke of your release. After seeing that, I just had to accompany my sister to see for myself."

"Celestia," Twilight intervened again, " I noticed that you keep saying you're surprised. Didn't Luna arrive under your orders?"

All eyes shot over to Luna, and she was definitely feeling their burn.

"Um… we… I may have told just a little fib when I spoke to you of mine sister's order Twilight Sparkle."

"How little?" Twilight had asked, but I knew she knew the answer, as did I

"I never gave any orders to free Hearts." Twilight shrunk back at Celestia's words. "In fact, I was prepared to redo the seal on him _myself_ when the time came."

Twilight started to look like Fluttershy, how she had started shaking so abruptly, and I really couldn't blame her. She had just taken part in an act that could be classified as treason, whether it was just or not. The actual Fluttershy had managed to stay relatively level headed. Whether that was because she didn't understand the seriousness of this situation, or for other reasons, I'm not sure. Luna was definitely the worst off; after all she had to live with the women she just annoyed. What would happen next was anyone's guess, except me. I thought I knew what to do.

"Princess," taking a chance, I got the princess's attention, "I do apologize. I did not know that these two had freed me against your will."

"I don't see how you could," Celestia pointed out.

"…However, disobedient or not, I am grateful to these girls, all of them." I was pushing my luck, but I had to get this out in the open. I just hoped I still had the reapers luck. "If it wasn't for Luna and Twilight, I never would have escaped that Equestria forsaken dream, and if it wasn't for Twilight and Fluttershy," I had activated my mark to put emphasis on this next line, "I never would have gained control of my power." I conjured up a red platform, in the shape of my mark to lift me into the air; I wanted to be at eye level with Celestia. "I will accept any punishment you have for me, even if that means being sealed again, but please do not make these girls suffer for doing something so selfless and kind." I think I heard Fluttershy try to fly to my side with that last sentence, but luckily someone must have stopped her.

"You will accept any punishment I give you no matter how horrible?"

"Yes."

"…even if I was to reseal you, or just send you to Tatarus?"

"…Yes"

"…Hearts…, you have not changed one bit. You are still so very dramatic." Celestia had started to crack up at my performance.

"Well, you still encourage it. Who really hasn't changed?" I followed along, floating back to the ground and cracking up too. My gamble paid off.

* * *

I could feel that the others were confused, to say the least. I explained to them that this kind of situation was actually common in my past. Growing up, I would always try to take on more than I could handle, always trying to act so tough, or darn near invincible. Celestia had tried to talk some sense into me so many times, it eventually became a running joke, I would do something reckless, and she would talk me out of it in ways similar to how she just did. It's been a while so I couldn't be sure that's what was going on, but it was worth the risk. It felt so good to be able to do this again, but I don't think the others were happy to be part of the _side cast._

After me and Celestia had calmed down a bit, she got back into a serious demeanor, this time for real. "It is wonderful to see you again Hearts, really it is, but at the same time, I can not just look past your past crimes."

"Yeah, I know," I wasn't too worried this time, "Like I said, I'll gladly accept my punishment. Of course I do hope it doesn't entail suffering eternal damnation."

She gave an assuring shake _no._ "No, I have a better idea." I waited to see what she had in store. "Hearts Major, for your crimes in the past and aided escape from your sentence," I could feel the others tense at that line, "I herby sentence you… to exile."

The rest of the ponies silently gasped at the sentences mention, but I kept my cool. Mostly because I knew what came next.

"I'm sure by now, you are aware that this time period is far different to the one you left, that is why I am sentencing you to live out the rest of your days in this Equestria. And just to show that I am fair, I will let you decide what area you wish to begin your sentence."

Yeah, hiding a character building exercise as a punishment, who's the one who hasn't changed again Celestia?

The others were so happy to hear that _I_ had gotten off Scott free. They started rushing me, hugging me, messing my mane.

"I'm so happy for you Hearts," Fluttershy said.

"Thank goodness," said Twilight.

"We are relived that everything has turned out well for you Hearts Major," Luna had added.

I hadn't realized I had made such a lasting impression on them already. Yeah, I could definitely call this place a home.

* * *

"Well Hearts," Celestia got our attention, "you still have a decision to make."

She was right; I still had to choose the sight of my new home. By how the girls were looking at me, I guessed that they had expected me to say something like, _"I think I would like to stay here in Ponyville. After what I have been through, I can't imagine living anywhere else."_ At first, I really was thinking that, but getting my memories had given me a new outlook. Although I liked my new friends, I already had my answer.

"Well, what is your choice?" Celestia repeated.

"…Celestia, if it's really _my_ choice, I think I would like to start my _exile_ in my hometown." The girls backed away from me. I hope I didn't upset them.

"Hmm, is that so?" Celestia didn't sound surprised at all. She really did know me.

"I see," Luna added, "You wish to follow us back to Canterlot then?" She got a big smile across her face. "Well I assure you, you will be welcome."

"Huh?" She thought I meant going back to Canterlot. How much did this princess really know about me? "Umm… no, I mean going back to were I was born."

"Huh? But… we thought…."

"Luna," Celestia got her sisters attention, "Hearts moved to Canterlot to start his training, but it is not were he is from originally."

This was news to the moon princess. I guess she assumed I was born in Canterlot because I spent a lot of my life their. You'd think it would be obvious I wasn't. Hello, Earth-pony.

This peaked Luna's curiosity. "Well, then where are you going?" she asked.

"My hometown, Trottingham."

That explains why I new the towns name. Huh, I guess my memories were trying harder than I thought to get out. Celestia's smile had brightened at that moment, but I wasn't sure why. Just happy I could remember I guess.

"It's settled then." Celestia called one of the Pegasus ponies from the chariot to her side, and gestured for him to hand her something. The pony placed a small, tan-pouch in her out-stretched hoof, which she hoofed over to me. "Take this."

When I looked inside, I saw that it was filled with a large amount of bits. "What is this for?" I had asked.

"You have a long journey ahead of you Hearts; just call this, one final aid, teacher to student." I was so happy when she called me that that I ended up moving in and hugging her, and she pulled me closer. "I know I don't have to say this, but just be careful."

Being this close to Celestia, just like i had once been, it was a nice moment when it lasted, but that wasn't very long.

"Wait," Fluttershy interrupted, getting mine and Celestia's attention, "I'm… sorry to interrupt, really I am," she retreated, "but you don't have to go _right_ now, do you."

"She's right," Twilight stepped in, "We have the whole day left after all, and I never did get to show you all of Ponyville."

"Well, I guess that depends, when does my sentence start?" I asked Celestia.

She giggled and said, "I suppose it can be held off until tomorrow."

Those words were all they needed to hear. Both Twilight and Fluttershy had again forgotten that my legs were not broken, and began dragging me around the town, _again_ ; I was getting use to it. For the rest of that day, the girls, including princess Celestia and Luna, had shown me around all of Ponyville, and all that it had to offer. Not only was it fun, but it was a good comforting activity before tomorrow. Although I did wish to see my old home, I wasn't going to have any of these girl to help me out for awhile, but I guess I'll have to live with that. It's not like I'll never see them again, and besides, I wasn't alone for very long, but that's a detail best left for later.

 _To be Continued_

* * *

 _Next chapter: New Home; New start; New 'friends'_

* * *

 **Woo, that was a doozy, Congratulation to anyone that made it to the end. I hope this chapter settles any eager watchers, because this is going to be my last chapter for a while. It's not the last chapter period, but I've got a few more stories I'm going to be working on for a bit, feel free to check them out if you get a chance. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, follow and favorite this story if you did. If you have a comment, just leave them below and I'll check them out. I hope to see you all in the next chapter, whenever that is.**

 **Until then…**


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